Crunchyroll Expands Into Games After Hiking Price

• Crunchyroll aims to broaden beyond anime streaming by introducing original video games under the Crunchyroll Games label.
• This gaming push comes after recent subscription price increases, which the organization claims would fund new content, features, and Game Vault expansion.
• Together, these measures are part of a larger streaming strategy that aims to improve engagement and keep paying users through gaming.

Crunchyroll, Sony's anime streaming giant, is expanding into gaming by creating original video games under the Crunchyroll Games banner. The decision comes as the firm seeks to expand fan engagement beyond streaming, following a recent membership price rise aimed at boosting long-term income and platform investments.

The original titles will be available as exclusives in Crunchyroll's Game Vault, which is a carefully selected mobile and casual gaming library (including River City Girls, inbento, Captain Velvet Meteor) that was announced in November 2023 for Mega and Ultimate Fan subscribers. Full details on the subsequent new games, developed in collaboration with Japanese publishers and global creators, will be revealed later in 2026.

Crunchyroll's Subscription Overhaul and Gaming Push

Crunchyroll increased all US subscription costs by $2 USD per month. The Fan tier is now priced at $9.99/month, Mega Fan is $13.99/month, and Ultimate Fan is $17.99/month, indicating the first base-tier increase since 2019. The price hikes come shortly after the platform discontinued its free ad-supported plan at the beginning of 2026, shifting entirely to premium memberships. The anime streaming giant has raised prices globally, with industry reports claiming that the rise will be effective in many regions from February to March 2026. 

Crunchyroll reportedly positions the price hikes as part of a larger investment drive for its platform. The organization claims that the increases would fund additional content, new features, and increased fan value, such as offline watching, a closer connection with Game Vault, and improved access to digital manga.

Crunchyroll's Game Vault Growth and Originals

Since its inception, Crunchyroll Game Vault has continuously expanded, with library milestones recording 50+ titles in early 2025. Moving forward in the same year, the anime streaming platform reportedly accounted for about 80 games (such as Shin Chan: Shiro & the Coal Town, STEINS;GATE, Shogun Showdown, Kawaii Kitchen) with over 500 hours of gameplay, with Crunchyroll aiming to develop at least 100 titles by summer 2026.

Variety reported that new exclusive and licensed titles are also planned for 2026 span a diverse range of genres, including RPG, visual novel, simulation, and roguelite formats. Battle Chef Brigade, Call of Boba, Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vols. 7 and 8, Pepper Grinder, Princess Maker 2 Refine+, Mythic Love: Iberian Legends, Horror Hop, are some of the titles available, amongst others. Crunchyroll will additionally widen its gaming subscription service with Beyblade X XONE and the upcoming Lost Hellden, offering both titles to mobile for the very first time.

Market Position and Context

Crunchyroll’s gaming pivot comes at a time when the anime industry is booming globally. As per a study conducted by Research and Markets, the market is predicted to reach $93.49 billion USD by 2031. Additionally, the platform has over 17 million paid customers globally, backed by a catalog of over 25,000 hours of anime content, amounting to 50,000 episodes, highlighting its reach and popularity.

Crunchyroll's move into gaming reflects a bigger trend in the streaming industry. Like Netflix, the company is relying on interactive content and games as strategic tools to justify increased subscription costs, increase engagement, and reduce the departure of premium members in a market that is growing more competitive.